What are the characteristics of androgenic alopecia?

Male pattern baldness is also known as hereditary pattern baldness. It is mainly caused by the process of female hormones reaching the cytoplasm through the circulation of blood. It is mainly due to excessive secretion of male hormones. After the strong male hormones enter the cytoplasm, they will prevent the protein synthesis of hair. Then the mother cells of the hair will lose their vitality, the hair follicles will gradually atrophy, and the hair will change from thick to thin, from more to less, until there is no hair on the head.

What are the characteristics of androgenic alopecia?

1 / Oily and itchy scalp

The basic symptoms are excessive secretion of scalp fat, increased dandruff, greasy scalp, obvious itching, sometimes accompanied by seborrheic dermatitis. The scalp is greasy and bright red, with yellow oily crusts, and the hair is thin, soft, dry and colorless, and falls off at the touch.

2/Hereditary

Male pattern baldness is hereditary, with males being dominant and females being recessive. If anyone on your father's or mother's side has a history of pattern baldness, you should be aware that you may be carrying the pattern baldness gene. Can you avoid it? The chances of avoiding it are very low.

3/ Mostly occurs in young people

Androgenicity usually occurs in late adolescence, as early as 17 years old, and often between 20 and 30 years old. Yes, it is the most youthful and budding age, the age when it is time to fall in love. In boys, the initial manifestation is that the hair on the forehead and hairline becomes thinner and sparser, and gradually develops into a high forehead, which then merges with the hair loss area on the top. In severe cases, only a small amount of hair is retained on the occipital region and both sides of the temporal region, which is commonly known as the "Mediterranean"

Girls do not need to worry about baldness because they do not secrete much male hormone in their bodies. However, they may experience sparse hair on the top of the head, which may spread from the top of the head to the sides. The most common symptom is the overall atrophy of the scalp hair follicles, resulting in massive hair loss.

How to treat male pattern baldness

There is a saying in the hair industry that hair loss should be treated early. The earlier the treatment, the greater the chance of recovery and the less money you spend on it.

In the early and middle stages of hair loss, the hair follicles are not dormant yet. If appropriate treatment is adopted at this time, there is a 60%-90% chance of maintaining the hair or regrowing the hair.

The main treatment methods are as follows:

1/ DHT inhibitors (anti-androgen)

DHT is the culprit for male pattern baldness. Inhibiting the secretion of DHT is equivalent to curbing the source. The most commonly used DHT inhibitor on the market is finasteride. Finasteride is one of the only two drugs approved by the US FDA for the treatment of hair loss. It has a history of ten years in the treatment of androgenic alopecia and has accumulated a large amount of clinical data for reference. According to a Japanese study on the use of finasteride, after one year of continuous medication, 58% of the hair loss was improved to a moderate level or above, and 98% of the hair loss did not worsen. This data shows that finasteride tablets are effective in treating androgenic alopecia, and the earlier they are used, the slower the process of hair degeneration.

Taking finasteride has certain side effects. The target of finasteride is estrogen, so some patients taking this drug will experience adverse reactions such as decreased libido and chest pain. Fortunately, these side effects are reversible and will recover after stopping the drug. Common finasterides on the market include imported Propecia, domestically produced Qiyue, Pulian, Kangliesu, etc.

Finasteride is only suitable for male patients and cannot be taken by women. Women can take spironolactone.

2/ Minoxidil

Minoxidil is another drug approved by the US FDA for the treatment of hair loss. It is also the only topical drug suitable for any type of hair loss. It can promote local capillary dilation and stimulate the growth of atrophic hair follicle stem cells, thereby achieving the purpose of improving hair loss.

Minol has different concentrations of 2% and 5%. 2% is for both men and women, while 5% is suitable for men. Women may suffer from hirsutism if they use it. Minol has certain side effects. After applying it, the local area may experience dryness, flaking, itching, and redness. The symptoms vary depending on each person's physical condition. Some people feel more severe, while others feel nothing. It is best to follow the doctor's instructions for specific details.